Paper container pre-forming and erecting means



3, 9-68 I R. w. 'GUZZARD'Q 3,368,

V PAPER CONTAINER PRE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS 7 Filed Aug. 24, 1965 eShets-Sheet 1 M/ V E N 7' 0/? RA man/0 w GUZZA R00 Feb. 13, 1968 R. w.GUZZARDO PAPER CONTAINER FEE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS Filed Aug. 24.1965 O 2 D a R H mm m NZ 4 w w W6 F S D. 6 N\ W W R Feb. 13, 1968 R. w.GUZZARDO 3,368,462

PAPER CONTAINER FEE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 5 wnw 93W Filed Aug '0 Feb. 13, 1968 R. w. GUZZARDO 3,368,462

PAPER CONTAINER FEE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS Filed Aug. 24, 1965- 6Sheets-Sheen 4 R a M MD mm vw m m M H N F Q m E A Sm ll w 2 g mm 5 1 w pQM r \m w. M N\ N wk w MUN HUN IQUN w .3 8 m5 w m w Q? \Q mQ Mm W 7 f:Ff

RT l F R mm: N m wk m5 wk Feb. 13, 1968 R. w. GUZZARDO 3,368,462

PAPER CONTAINER PRE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS g 7 INVENTOR. RAYMOND WGUZZARDO 7 1 Hag 5 Feb. 13, 1968 vR. w. GUZZARDO 3,363,462

PAPER CONTAINER FEE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS 6 Shets-Sheet 6 FiledAug. 24, 1965 INVENTOR. RA YMO/VD W GUZZARDO United States Patent3,368,462 PAPER CONTAINER PRE-FORMING AND ERECTING MEANS Raymond W.Guzzardo, McHenry, 111., assignor to E. M.

Melahn, doing business as Northern Illinois Machine Company, McHenry,Ill.

Filed Aug. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 482,112 12 Claims. (Ci. 93-53) ABSTRAUI'OF THE DISCLOSURE Automatic package forming mechanisms for openingcollapsed milk carton blanks and forming such into three dimensionalopen ended tubes for subsequent formation into containers; includingpneumatic feeder apparatus operable to remove a carton blank from astorage magazine and'deposit the samein a partially opened conditionwithin a three walled folding cage having two movable walls whichperiodically actuate to fold the side wall panels of the carton aboutcorner fold lines of the carton blank and which cage thereafterpositively holds the carton panels in predetermined angular relationshipwhile the same is mounted over a forming mandrel.

This invention relates generally to packaging machinery and morespecifically to improved means for automatically pre-forming anderecting previously cut and scored paper carton blanks prpearatory tofabricating the same into sealed containers for carrying fluids and thelike.

Paper containers or bottles for packaging fluids, such as milk and likeproducts, enjoy extensive use and popularity. Such containers aregenerally formed of rather stiff paper board sheet material or cardboardhaving a suitable protective coating, such as wax or thermoplastic filmwhereby the coated board is rendered impervious to moisture and istherefore particularly suitable for packing fluid products of which milkand fruit juices are typical illustrations. In more recent times thethermoplastic coated paper board has achieved greater prominence of use,not only because of the plastic films ability to moistureproof the paperboard, but for the further reason that the thermoplastic itself isutilized for sealing the container folds and closure portions, suchsealing action being accomplished by heating the plasticized surfaces tobe sealed and pressing the same together under pressure.

The present invention generally pertains to the erection and pre-formingof such paper board carton blanks preparatory to fabricating the sameinto liquid carrying vessels or cartons. The blanks from which thecontainers are formed are usually cut and scored by a fabricator to forma generally tubular member which is, however, collapsed or flat so thatthe same are packed and transported in a pack or bundle formationtightly pressed together;

adjacent individual container blanks disruptably adhering to oneanother. A typical container of the general class referred to isdisclosed in the U.S. Patent to Crawford, et al., 3,116,002, issued Dec.31, 1963, as well as U.S. Reissue Patent No. 25,021 to C. R. Alden datedAug. 8, 1961.

According to present practice the carton fabricator or former, receivesthe bundle of flat carton blanks, as above described, and places them ina machine which automatically separates the individual carton blanksfrom the bundle, opening the same and forming them into tubesconventionally having a generally rectangular'or square cross-sectionalconfiguration. Subsequent tucking and folding of bottom flap portionsfollowed by sealing procedures form a sealed bottom closure for thetubular container. Similar folding operations, and in some instances asealing of the top flaps, readies the container for subsequent fillingwith liquid. These forming operations may be carried on by availableknown machines typified, for example, by a fabricating machine disclosedin U.S. Patent No. 2,357,535 issued to Monroe On Sept. 5, 1944.

After the cartons have been formed and fabricated as above brieflyoutlined, the same are subsequently fed to a filling machine and if thecontainers have been previously sealed or closed, the upper ends thereofare disrupted and opened for reception of the liquid. Following thefilling of the container the upper closures thereof are closed andsealed, readying the package for transshipment to the consumer.Generally speaking, the machinery for fabricating the containers andfilling the same are located at the processing plants where the liquidis prepared. For instance, in the case of milk, the fabricatingmachinery is normally found in the dairy where the milk is pasturizedand bottled for eventual distribution to the consuming public.

While the above described fabricating procedure is generally known andfamiliar to those cognizant of this art, constant research andre-examination of the practice has been carried on in an efforttordi'scover improved packaging materials, package formations, as wellas research toward more eflicient, simple and dependable fabricatingmachinery for forming the blanks into finished packages. Among theseveral problems which have vexed this area of the packaging industryfor some time is one to which the present invention is directed.Briefly, since the carton blanks are folded flat or, that is, withopposing walls of the carton pressed into adjacent parallelrelationship, it is essential when forming the blank into a tubularcarton as above described, to first open the blank from its collapsedstate into a 3-dimensional tube of square crosssection. It will bereadily appreciated that in unfolding the blank from its fiat or planarcondition, as by thrusting opposing lateral edges of the blankrelatively toward one another to open or separate the four walls of thecontainer, the material of the carton, being rather resilient, has aninherent tendency to resist this opening operation. Thus the walls seekto return to their generally parallel position in which they residedwhen the blank was in its flat condition and therefore opened cartonsnaturally assume a diamond shaped cross-section. This resistance toopening creates a very troublesome problem particularly when employingautomatic fabricating machinery. Generally speaking, most fabricatingmachines for forming milk carton blanks, for instance, into finishedcontainers, as above related, eventually support the opened cartons onmandrils of square cross-section. Thus if the opened carton bears adiamond shaped cross-section, it is most difficult to feed or mount thesame over a square-shaped mandril without either providing some type ofguide means to assist in the mounting'operation or carefully feeding thesame onto the mandrils so as to avoid crumbling or bending the cartonwalls.

In the past, the above-outlined problem has been met to a limited degreeby moving the partially open carton blanks past a shoe or abutmentmember, which contacts the tubular carton and ovcrfolds the walls at thescore lines constituting the four corners of the carton. Thus when thecartonsprings back to an open tube, the walls thereof hopefully achievea 90 or normal relationship. A typical overfolding mechanism of thisorder is described in the hereinabove referred to Monroe Patent No.2,357,- i

535. As has been experienced in the industry, despite previous attemptsto open the carton into a tube of square cross-sections, there is nopositive assurance that the desired condition will obtain, at the timethe tube is fed automatically onto a supporting mandril for subsequenttop and bottom forming, folding and sealing operations.

The present invention addresses itself to improvements in thepre-forming means for opening the flat carton blanks into a tubularformation of square or rectangular cross-section; the same beingparticularly characterized by improved means for positively assuring andholding the desired cross-sectional configuration for the blank tubewhereby the same is dependably conditioned for mounting over a mandrilof square or rectangular cross-section, defined by walls thereofdisposed normal to one another.

Briefly, the present invention, while being concerned With the abovediscussed problem, combines feeding means for advancing carton blanks toa pre-forming station, means for removing the carton blanks one at atime from the feeding means and advancing the same past strategicallylocated abutment members which serve to partially open the cartons afterwhich they are advanced into overfolding cage means which positivelyholds the partially open cartons and, responsive to operating meanstherefor, functions to complete carton opening by pivotally or arcuatelymoving and folding the four side walls thereof through an angle ofsubstantially 90 to 180 about each of the cartons four corner foldlines. After the cartons side walls are so folded they are moved andheld by the cage member and positively positioned thereby in a rightangular relationship, aligned with an overdisposed mandril onto whichthe now pre-formed carton tube is adapted to be mounted. Elevator meansoperate to advance the pre-formed cartons onto a mandril which isthereafter indexed to various stations for forming and sealing thecartons bottom and top.

From the above it will be understood that an important object of thisinvention is to provide a new and improved means for opening papercarton blanks and the like and for positively pre-forrning such blanksinto tubular members having a desired cross-sectional configuration.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means, for usein carton fabricating machines and the like, which are capable ofpre-forming substantially planar carton blanks into open ended tubeshaving planar wall portions positively held in right angularrelationship.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved meansreceptive of partially opened paper carton blanks having four planarwall sections or portions interjoined by scored fold lines and whichoperates to fold such wall portions pivotally about the cartons cornersufficiently to insure that such wall portions will remain substantiallyat right angle relationship with respect to each other when released.

Still another object of this invention is to provide new and improvedmeans for conditioning paper cartons in blank form whereby the same maybe introduced into automatic forming machinery employing mandrils orother holding devices having a fixed cross-sectional configuration andonto Which the conditioned cartons are conformably mounted.

A still additional object of this invention is to provide improved meansfor pre-forming paper milk cartons and the like and for automaticallymounting the same onto supporting-mandrils of automatic forming machinesand the like.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedmeans for pre-forming paper milk cartons and like containers by openingand folding the same into a desired tubular configuration and forpositively maintaining such configuration while the open cartons aremounted over supporting means of automatic forming machinery and thelike.

Having thus described the present invention, the best mode presentlycontemplated for carrying out its features and concepts will now bedescribed in conjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof illustratedin the accompanying drawings from which the above and further objects,features and advantages of this invention will be recognized by thoseskilled in the art.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view showing the pie-forming anderecting mechanism of this invention in operating relationship with apaper carton fabricating machine;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the pre-forming and erectingmeans according to this invention in assembly with related operatingmechanisms;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevtaional view of folding cage means illustratedin FIGURE 2, at an enlarged scale thereover;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial plan view of portions of the assemblyillustrated in FIGURE 3, immediately about the folding cage means showntherein;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the partial assembly shown in FIGURE 5and illustrating the cage means positioned to overfold a carton blankaccording to this invention;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially at vantage line7-7 of FIGURE 2 when looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

FIGURE 8 is another cross sectional view taken substantially alongvantage line 88 of FIGURE 2 and looking in the direction of the arrowsthereon;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the means foroperating the cage means;

FIGURE 10 is another perspective view schematically showing the meansassociated with the folding cage for feeding paper cartons thereto andfor discharging preformed cartons therefrom;

FIGURES 11, 12, and 13 are plan views schematically representing thesequence of operations for introducing a carton blank to the foldingcage means, according to this invention;

FIGURE 14 is a front elevational view illustrating a carton blankadapted to be processed and preformed by the mechanism of thisinvention;

FIGURE 15 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 16 is a top plan view of a carton blank illustrated in FIGURES 14and 15 opened and pre-formed by the mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 17 is a top plan view of a carton opened and preformed inaccordance with the teachings of the prior art.

Turning now to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention setout in the accompanying drawings, FIG- URE 1 shows the same in operativeassociation with a fabricating machine, indicated generally by numeral20 in that figure. Machine 20 is adapted to form paper milk car tons orsimilar containers from planar paper carton blanks 21, suitablysupported in a feeding magazine 22 located on one Side of the machine.The blanks 21 are advanced as a bundle along the magazine 22 by gravityactuator means 23, with the forward or leading carton blanks beingsuccessively removed from the magazine one at a time by suction feedmeans 24 which periodically operate to place a carton blank in operativerelationship with the forming and erecting cage means 25, according tothis invention, located at the machines first pre-forming station,indicated generally by numeral 26 in FIGURE 1.

While the machine 20 is only partially illustrated in FIGURE 1, the samegenerally comprises a plurality of carton holding mandrils 27 of squarecross-section dependingly mounted in spaced relationship from anoverhead indexing means or wheel 28 which is periodically partiallyrotated to index the mandrils sequentially from station to stationlocated at spaced points along a circular path. In essence pre-formedcarton tubes are sequentially advanced from the pre-forming stage orstation 26 through a plurality of successive operating stations whereatthe bottom closure flaps for the carton are folded, formed and sealed.Thereafter the cartons are stripped from the mandrils following whichthe top closure is folded, formed, and if desired, sealed. The formedcartons are then conveyed from the forming machine to either asubsequent filling machine or to storage.

Suitable controls for regulating operation of the machine 20 areconveniently located at control station 29 and may include, by way ofexample, plural pushbutton controllors or switches 30 and a cycle timer31 as illustrated. Typically, the control switches 30 may include a mainmotor or drive control switch, a vacuum pump control switch, a heatercontrol switch and means for selectively advancing the index means orwheel 28 as Well as other controls according to the operationrequirements of the fabricating machine which may constitute, aspreviously mentioned, any of several presently known machines such asdisclosed in the above referred to Monroe Patent 2,357,535.

While the specific operations accomplished at pre-forming station 26will be described in greater detail hereinafter, in essence each cartonblank is removed from the magazine 22 as it approaches station 26 byperiodic op eration of the vacuum feed means 24, the latter serving tostrip the blanks from the forward end of the feeder 22, move the sameforwardly and partially open the same while positively locating thepartially opened carton blanks in the pre-forming and erecting cagemeans 25 according to this invention. The cage means 25 in turn operatesto fully open and pre-form the carton blanks into a tube of square orrectangular cross-section conforming to the cross-sectional dimensionsand configuration of the over disposed supporting mandrils 27 onto whichthe preformed tubular cartons, are elevated against a stop means 33.This properly locates the tubular cartons for subsequent forming,folding and sealing operations of its bottom and top closures asabove-indicated. As each mandril 27 is indexed away from the pre-formingstation 26, to the next succeeding station whereat the bottom flaps ofthe carton are folded, the following mandril 27a (FIGURE 1) advances tothe pre-forming station ready to receive the next pre-formed cartontube.

Turning now to the particulars of the present invention, reference ismade to FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings wherein the forming and erectingcage means 25 is shown in association with the feed magazine 22 and theseveral means and mechanisms employed for activating the erecting cage25 and the suction feed means 24.

As shown in these figures, the cage means 25 is mounted upright near oneedge of a planer staging table 40 for the machine 20, with cage means 25being disposed substantially half above and half below the plane oftable 40. Immediately adjacent and in front of folding cage 25, islocated the magazine means 22 which is activated by the gravity means23. To the rear of the cage means 25 and substantially opposite magazinemeans 22 is the suction feed means 24 disposed beneath the table 40 andadapted to actuate through the cage means 25 in a manner to be discussedin greater detail hereinafter. Immediately beneath the folding cagemeans 25 is an elevating means 42 (FIGURE 2) adapted to be periodicallyelevated and depressed in accordance with the activity of areciprocating elevator actuator means 43 (see FIG- URE A central drivingmeans comprising a rotatably driven cam means 44 is located to the rearof the elevator actuator 43 and beneath staging table 40; such cam meansbeing operatively coupled to the suction feed means 24 by periodicallyoperated feed drive means indicated generally at 45 (FIG. 2). Cam means44 is also coupled to the elevator actuator means 43 by elevator drivemeans, indicated generally at 46 in FIGURE 2. The drive means 45responds to the activity of a reciprocating drive yoke means 47 which isdriven in response to rotation of the cam means 44. In addition to thedrive means 45 and 46 referred to above, the central drive means alsoactuates cage drive means 50 comprising a yoke system, as best shown inFIGURE 9 of the drawings and located on the opposite side of cam means44 from the yoke actuator 47.

Turning now to the specific details of each of the above enumeratedmeans, reference is made to FIGURES 1, 2,

6 and 3 especially whereat the feeding magazine 22 is illustrated. Asshown in these figures, magazine 22 com prises a pair of parallel spacedand vertically disposed side walls 51, 52 (see FIGURE 3), comprisingsubstantially planar members of generally elongated rectangularconfiguration which are interconnected by a split bottom wall orpartition structure comprising laterally spaced and generallyhorizontally disposed bottom wall portions 53 and 54 having a slottedopening 55 therebetween which extends the full length of the magazine.Wall portions 53 and 54 are held in coplanar spaced relationship todefine the slotted opening 55 by means of inter-reaching angle ironsupports 56 and 57 which are securely bolted or otherwise rigidlyafiixed to the bottom wall portions 53 and 54 in the manner bestillustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. Extending angularly downwardlyfrom the outermost support 56 are support arms 58 (see FIG. 1) wherebythe magazine 22 is supported from the base structure (not shown) of themachine 20.

Intermediate the two supports 56 and 57 and extending transverselybeneath the magazines bottom wall portions 53, 54 is an angle ironbracket 59 having depending ear portions 60 between which is mounted arotatable guide roller 61 over which a cord or similar flexibleconnector 62 is trained; cord 62 being a part of the gravity actuatormeans 23 and to that end being connected at one end to a weight 63adapted to move downwardly by gravity to pull on the flexible connector62. A second roller means 64 is mounted between depending ear members 65located beneath the forward support 57. After passing over roller 64cord 62 is trained rearwardly beneath the bottom wall of the magazineand more specifically in alignment with the central slotted opening 55thereof for connection with a feeding follower plate means 66.

As shown best in FIGURE 3 of the drawings the follower plate means 66 ismounted upright in front of a supporting slide block means 67 whichslidingly engages both of the bottom wall plate portions 53 and 54immediately adjacent to the slotted opening 55 along which it moves. Inoperation the follower plate 66 is placed behind the stack or bundle ofcarton blanks 21 and therefore urges such stack forwardly toward thepre-forming station 26 in response to the gravitational operation ofactuator means 23 and more specifically the urging of weight 63 and itsresultant pull on the cord 62 which is attached at one end to weight 63and at its opposite end to the follower means 66.

In order to accommodate cartons of different size, an auxiliary guiderail system 68 comprising a plurality of parallel tubular rail members69 supported on post means 70 and attached to clip means 71 is adaptedto be mounted between the two side walls 51 and 52 of the magazinesubstantially in the manner illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 5. As shownin such figures it will be realized that the clip means 71 slidingly fitover the upper edge of the side wall 52 to support the guide rails 69 inspaced parallelism with the magazines interior thereby to effect analternate width or spacing between the side walls of the magazine. Thisalternate dimension adapts the magazine to carton blanks of lesser widththan the normal spacing between walls 52 and 53, which can also bemovably mounted for this same purpose if desired.

Adjacent the forward end of the magazine 22 and projecting into thecarton receptive and guiding interior of the magazine as defined by theseveral walls 51-54 thereof, is an adjustable stop means 75 bestillustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, and 5 of the drawings. As shown in FIGURE 5in particular, the stop means 75 constitutes a metal block 76 having anotch 77 in one lateral edge thereof; the block 76 being pivotallysecured by locking pivot means 78 next to a support pad 79 carried by aslide plate 89 which in turn is adjustably mounted on the upper face ofthe staging table 40 by adjustment lock bolt means 81. Adjustable boltmeans 82 threadingly connected with the block 76 and equipped with alock nut 83 and enlarged head 84 extends between block 76 and pad 79 tolimit the pivotal or swinging movement of the stop block 76, in counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 5, thereby to adjustablyposition block 76 in its upper full line position, as shown in thatfigure. Alternately the block 76 may be pivoted about the lock pivotmeans 78 so as to be positioned in its dotted line position asillustrated in FIGURE 5. In this latter position and adjusting stopscrew 85 engages the pad member 79 to limit the pivotal movement of theblock 76 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 5. Thus the stopmeans 75 may be located substantially at or between the two alternatepositions therefore shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. When stop means 75 is inits full line position of FIGURE 5, the notch 77 thereof is disposed ina plane designated by dotted line A in that figure, which determines astop limit for the leading or forward carton of the stack 21 as whenutilizing the full width or spacing of the side walls 51-52 of thefeeder magazine. In practice such stop position would accommodate halfgallon milk cartons or the like.

In the alternate dotted line position for member 76 as shown in FIGURE5, the outermost end surface 86 thereof is located for cooperation withthe alternate rail members 69, so as to define a secondary stop positionor plane (labeled B in FIGURE indicating the desired limit position forthe leading carton of the bundle or pack 21 when forming cartons ofsmaller size, as for example, quart and pint milk cartons.

Thus it will be recognized that the stop means '75 serve to engage onelateral edge of the cartons in pack 21 so as to locate the leading endthereof in a desired plane preparatory to advancing the same to thefolding cage means in a manner to be amplified in greater detailhereinafter. It also has been found desirable, in conjunction with thestop means 75, to provide secondary substantial stops along the oppositelateral margin of the cartons, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, by providinga button headed screw or rivet extending inwardly of the inner face ofwall 51 as indicated at 87 in FIGURE 5; rivet head 87 being alinged tocooperate with the stop member along the stop position plane B in theparticular arrangement illustrated.

Immediately adjacent the stop means 75 and supported on the slidablymounted plate member is a vertical shaft member 90 having a plurality ofstationary abutment members 91 spaced along its length. These abutmentmembers 91 may constitute, as illustrated, substantially cylindricalroller-like members locked to the shaft 90 as by locking pin means 92(see FIG. 5). The alignment of the abutment members 91 with respect tothe cartons in the feeder magazine 22 is substantially as indicated inFIGURE 14 of the drawings from which it will be realized that there arethree abutment members 91 aligned interferingly with such cartons so asto engage the same along one edge at spaced locations between the topand ends thereof. The purpose and operation of the abutment members willbe described in greater detail hereinafter in association with thedescription to the folding cage means 25, but briefly the same arepositioned to interfere with the passage of the carton from the feedermagazine to the folding cage means so as to effect a primary or partialopening of the carton members as they are moved forwardly past theabutment members in response to the activities of the suction feedermeans 24.

In addition to the above described members 91, the bottom wall portion53 of the feeder magazine is also equipped with an upstanding abutmentin the form of a cylindrical button 93 (see FIGURES 2, 3, and 5) whichassists in the initial opening of the carton blank by engaging theextreme lower end of one wall portion thereof, as also will be describedmore fully hereinafter.

As previously noted, the suction feeder means 24 is adapted to withdrawthe leading carton from the pack in magazine 20 and deposit the same inthe folding cage means 25. In order to accomplish this function, asshown best in FIGS. 2, 3, and 10 of the drawings, the suction feedermeans 24 comprises two or more, three in the illustrated embodiment,tubular vacuum conduits 100, each having a rubber suction cup 101attached to the outer end thereof immediately adjacent the folding cagemeans (FIGS. 2 and 6). The opposite end of each tubular conduit istightly fitted into distributor block 102 having an .internal manifoldpassageway means, indicated at 103 in FIG. 2. Thus the three conduits100 are commonly inter-connected by the manifold 103 which in turn isprovided with a suitable terminal connector means receptive of aflexible tube 104 coupled to an air evacuator means such as a vacuumpump. In this manner, operation of the vacuum pump (not shown) providesa suction or vacuum at the cups 101, whereby when the latter are movedadjacent the leading blank carton in the magazine 22, the carton ispneumatically locked to the vacuum cups. Thereafter the carton blankmoves with the feeder means, is stripped from the magazine and fed intothe folding cage means 25 upon retracting movement of the suction feedmeans 24, as will now be described.

In essence, the suction cups 101 are moved in linear reciprocatingfashion along substantially horizontally spaced axes in response tomotivation of the drive means 45 associated therewith. As shown in FIGS.2, 3, and 10, the manifold block 102 is rigidly affixed or fastened toone end of a cylindrical guide rod 105 and a parallel cylindrical driverod 106; both of which are guidingly mounted for sliding reciprocationthrough a pair of spaced guide blocks 107 mounted dependingly beneaththe table 40 of the fabricating machine. The other end of drive rod 106in turn is pivotally connected by pivot pin 108 to the outer end of anaxially adjustable pivot link 109. Pivot link 109 is also pivotallyjoined at its opposite end to the outer end of a breakable drive lever110 comprising two arm portions 111 and 112. Adjacent ends of the leverarm portions are bridged by a pair of side plate members 113 extendingalong opposite sides thereof. Each plate memher is rigidly fastened tothe outer end of arm portion 112 and is pivotally joined, as by pivotpin means 114, to the adjacent end of link ortion 111. Thus portion 111is free to pivot relative to the plates 113 and arm portion 112. Thisbreaking movement is limited to counterclockwise pivoting of arm 111, asviewed in side elevation according to FIG. 2 of the drawings. In orderto prevent pivotal movement of the arm portion 111 in an opposite orclockwise direction past a position of coaxial alignment with armportion 112, a third stop plate 115 extends between the drive levers twoarm portions as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, such being securely fastenedadjacent the outer end of arm portion 112 to abuttingly engage theunderlying edge of arm portion 111. This permits arm 111 to moverelative to plate 115, particularly in a counterclockwise rotationalsense, but positively prevents reverse pivotal movement beyond aposition of coaxial alignment with arm portion 112. The lowermost end ofthe breakable lever 110 (particularly portion 112 thereof as shown bestin FIG. 2 in the drawings), is tightly secured to a drive shaft 116 forrotation with said shaft. Shaft 116 also supports a drive gear 117having driving engagement with a linear rack 118 fastened to the upperside of a reciprocating drive arm 119 associated with the drive yokemeans 47 previously mentioned.

As will be noted in FIGS. 2 and 10 in particular, yoke means 47comprises the above referred to rigid drive arm 119 which is slidablysupported at its outer or upper end, as viewed in FIG. 2, in a bearingblock means 120, The opposite end of arm 119 is rigidly fixed to andbetween a pair of parallel spaced slide rails 121 and 122 which extendalong opposite sides of a slide block 123. The slide block in turn isrotatably mounted on the main drive shaft 124 which supports and isrotatable with the drive cam means 44; such block 123 being lockedaxially on shaft 124. The slide rails 121 and 122 are held apart inparallel spaced relationship by a cam block 125 mounted between outerends of the rails, and the cam block supports a cam roller means 126which engages a recessed, closed cam track 127 formed in one face of thecentral drive cam 44. With this arrangement it will be understood thatin response to rotational motion of the cam 44 roller 126 follows thetrack 127 therein, causing the yoke means 47 to reciprocate linearly andthereby effect a corresponding reciprocating motion of the rack means118. Since gear 117 engages the reciprocating rack 118, such gearoscillates with partial rotation to correspondingly rock the brokendrive lever 111) with shaft 116 to which it is fastened.

Since the drive lever 110 is breakable in one direction as aboveexplained, a tension spring means 131') extends between the pivotallymovable arm portion 111 and a point of anchorage 131, on the main frameof the forming machine. Thus, as the lever 110 oscillates or moves in aclockwise sense as viewed in FIG. 2, spring means 130 serves to bias thepivotal arm portion 111 thereof against the backup plate 115. On theother hand, during the reverse or counterclockwise motion of the link110, the back-up plate or stop 115 serves to rigidify the breakablelength, tensioning spring 130 during such movement.

The purpose of the broken link arrangement above described is toaccommodate jamming or interference with the reciprocating motion of thesuction feeder means 24 so that in the event the latter is hung up orblocked -by a carton in cage means 25 in operation, damage to the rack118, gear 117 and other related mechanisms of the drive system will beavoided.

From the foregoing it will be understood that in response to therotational movement of the cam means 44 and the following activity ofthe yoke actuator 47, the suction feed means 24 is periodically advancedtoward the cage means 25 and the leading carton in the magazine 22thereby engaged and withdrawn in an opposite direction to introduce thecarton into the cage means.

Turning now to the features of the improved cage means 25, according tothis invention, specific reference is made to FIGS. 2 through 8 of thedrawings. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the cage means 25is supported on the staging table 40 of the forming machine and disposedbetween the suction feed means 24 and the carton feeder magazine 22.More specifically (see FIGS. 4 and 5) cage means 25 comprises athree-sided rectangular box formed by a rigid rectangular side wallmember 130 fastened to a rectangular rear wall member 131 by anelongated piano-type hinge means 132. Thus wall 13% is pivotal about thehinge 132 relative to the rear wall 131. In a similar fashion, a secondrigid side wall 133, opposite wall 130, is hinged to the oppositelateral edge of the rear wall 131 by a second hinge means 134, so thatthe second side wall likewise pivots relative to the rear wall of thecage means.

The several Walls 131133 for the cage means 25 are of substantiallyidentical rectangular dimensions and preferably made of light metal,such as aluminum, with the thickness of the two side Walls beingsubstantially less than that of the rear wall 131. Provision formounting the cage means on the indexing table of the forming machinecomprises an L-shaped mounting bracket means 135 (see FIG. 2) projectingfrom the back face of rear wall 131 and securely fastened thereto.Mounting bracket 135 is further secured to the upper face of the stagingtable 40 so as to rigidly affix the cage means 25 in an upright orvertical position as illustrated.

From FIGURE 4 in particular will be noted that the rear wall member 131of the cage means is provided with three circular openings therethrough,indicated at 135, 137 and 138. These openings are adapted to permit thepassage of the three suction cup members 101 and the suction conduits100 associated therewith in accordance with the reciprocating activityof the suction feed means 24, as above related. Thus it will beappreciated that the suction feed means actually passes through the rearwall 131 of the cage means 25.

Side wall 130, as particularly illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, isdistinguished by a roller block means 140 affixed to the outside of wall130, near the latters lower end; such block 140 being disposed on ahorizontal axis and fastened to the side wall adjacent the lattersleading edge 141, as by fastening screw means 142, 142 (see FIG. 5).Block means is engaged by an actuator roller 143 rotatably mounted atthe outer end of an actuating crank arm 144, the purpose and operationof which will be described in greater detail hereinafter. (See FIGS. 3,6 and '7).

Side wall 130 is also equipped with an elongated gripper means 145 whichextends over the leading edge 141 thereof, substantially from the upperend of wall 130 to a point adjacent the bearing block 140 thereon. Itwill be noted that the gripper guide means 145 includes a finger portion146 which extends past the plane of wall member 130 and comprises apartial barrier over the normally open front end of the cage means. Atthe upper end of the gripper means 145 is a secondary guide shoe 147which extends past the finger portion 146 near the upper end of the cagemeans to form an additional partial barrier along one border of the cagemeans; shoe 147 being utilized with narrower cartons such as quart size.Both the finger portion 146 and the guide shoe 147 are chamfered orsloped inwardly toward the cages interior along those portions thereofwhich project beyond the plane of the wall 130 to guide the insertion ormovement of a carton blank into the interior of the cage in response tothe activity of the suction feed means. It is further to be noted thatboth the guide means 145 and the shoe means 147 are attached to the sideWall member 13% by means of cantilever leaf spring members 148 and 149disposed respectively near the upper and lower reaches of the guidemeans; such spring members being affixed to the wall 130 as by screwmeans 150 (see FIG. 5). In this manner the means 145 is flexibly movableabout its anchor points on wall 130 as determined by the attachmentscrew means 150 so as to escape or move laterally of the opened interiorof the cage means for purposes of permitting carton blanks to movetherepast into the interior of such cage means. After carton loading theguide means 145 springs back to its normal position whereat the sameextends partially across the open front end of the cage means, as viewedin FIGURE 4 of the drawings, to keep the carton in the cage means.

In a generally similar fashion, the other side wall member 133 of thecage means is provided with a guide shoe means adjacent its upper endwhich has a finger portion 156 extending forwardly of the wall 133, butsloping rearwardly toward the interior of the cage means so as to assistthe passage or entry of a carton into the cages interior. As with thefinger portion 146 of the guide means 145, previously described, thefinger portion 156 of the guide shoe means 155- also extends partiallyacross or in front of the open front side of the cage means so as toassist in guiding and holding a carton within the cage. The fingerportion 156 is further integrally formed with a mounting 'arm memberv157 which extends rearwardly along the outside of wall 133 (see FIGURE2); such; being pivotally mounted over a mounting pad 158 by a verticalpin pivot means 159 having a torsion spring 160 thereabout. Spring 160acts to resiliently bias the guide shoe means 155 toward the wall member133. Means for adjustably positioning the finger portion 156 thereofacross the open front side of the cage is provided by an adjustmentscrew means 161 which threads through the arm portion 157 and is adaptedto engage the outside of cage wall 133 (see FIGURE 5). Thus the guidemeans 155 is pivotally movable away from wall 133 against the biasingaction of spring 160 about the pin means 159 and is adjustablyregulatable to selected stop positions toward that wall by setting screwmeans 161, whereby the finger portion .156 thereon may be regulated inits movements.

As previously noted each of the side wall members 130 and 133 of thecage means is pivot'ally connected to the rear wall member 131 thereofso as to swing in gate fashion about a vertical axis with respect to thelatter. In order to control this swinging movement of the side walls, alinkage system, indicated generally by numeral 164 in FIGURES 4, 5, and6, is provided. As illustrated in such figures, the linking system 164comprises a bell crank 165 having a long arm 166 affixed near the upperreaches of the side cage wall 130, by attachment screw means 167. Bellcrank 165 also has a short arm portion 168 pivotally joined to one endof a linear transfer link 169 as by pivot means 170. The opposite end ofthe link 169 is similarly joined by pivot pin 171 to the outer end of adouble or compound bell crank means 172 which is substantially S-shapedwhereby a short arm portion 173 thereof, pivotally joined to link 169,is disposed parallel to a longer 'arm 174. Arm 174 in turn is rigidlyafiixed or attached to the upper end of the cage side wall members 133by screw means 175.

In assembly the arm portion 174 of the compound bell crank 172 residesparallel with the longer arm portion of the bell crank 165 so that thetwo side walls 130 and 133 are disposed parallel. A tension spring means176 extends between the compound bell crank 172 and the bell crank 166;such spring being attached to said members by Openings 177 and 178therein as illustrated best in FIGURE of the drawings. It will be notedthat the spring means is aligned in a diagonal fashion between the twobell crank members and inside of the pivotal connections of such memberswith the transfer link 169 i.e., between the pivot link 169 and the rearwall 131 of the cage means. With this organization, movement of the cageside wall members clockwise (as viewed in plan as set out in FIGURE 5)to an operating position as seen in FIGURE 6, is opposed by the tensionspring means 176 whereby the latter has a tendency to resiliently biasthe two side walls and 133 back to their open cage positions as shown inFIGURE 5. In order to assure a desired right angular relationship of theparallel side walls 130 and 133 with rear wall 131 and to accommodateplay in the linkage system v164, adjustment means comprising athreadingly movable bolt member 179 extends through the longer armportion 166 of the bell crank and an adjustment pad or block 180 affixedto the outside face of the cages rear wall member 131. By adjustablyregulating the bolt 179, the angular disposition of the side walls 130,133 and the rear wall 131 is achieved preferably so as to dispose saidside walls normal or at right angles to the rear wall.

In order to actuate the cage means 25 and move its walls from open toclosed position, as illustrated in FIG- URES 5 and 6 respectively, meansare provided for periodically actuating the roller arm 144 carryingroller means 143 which bears against the bearing block 140 as abovedescribed. Such actuating means are best seen in FIGURES 2, 7, 8, and 9of the drawings. Initially considering FIGURE 9, the roller arm 144 isaffixed to the upper end of a vertically disposed shaft which has itslower end afi'ixed to a crank link 186 thereby providing an offset drivein the form of a bell crank linkage which is periodically oscillated bya partially rotated drive shaft 187 supported in bearing spaced blocks188 and 189 (FIGS. 7 and 8). A drive gear 190 is fixed to the lower endof shaft 187 and in driving engagement with a linear rack 191 responsiveto actuation of the cage drive means 50.

As shown best in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the shaft means 187 and thesupporting bearing blocks 188 and 189 therefore are supported on avertically disposed frame plate member 192 comprising a portion of thesupport framing for the forming machine; the gear 190 and shaft 187being disposed on one side of plate 192 and the rack member 191 on theopposite side of said plate and the gear 190 extending through anopening 193 in the vertical frame plate 192 as shown particularly inFIG- URES 2 and 8 of the drawings.

The cage actuating means 50, previously referred to, is best understoodfrom FIGURE 9 of the drawings from which it will be recognized thatdrive means 50 comprises a yoke assembly (similar to the yoke means 47previously described) for linearly reciprocating the drive rack means191. More specifically the yoke assembly of drive means 50 comprises apair of parallel spaced rigid slide rails 195 and 196 held in parallelspaced relationship to slide along opposite sides of a slide block 197which is rotatably mounted on the main drive shaft 124 for the centraldrive cam means 44. As in the yoke assembly 47, the slide rails 196 areheld in spaced parallel relationship at one end by a cam block means 198carrying a cam roller 199 which engages a closed cam track 200 formedinwardly of an adjacent face of the central cam means 44. The oppositeends of the slide rails 195 and 196 are disposed adjacent the upper andlower sides of a rigid drive arm 201 to which they are aflixed so thatthe arm 201 reciprocatcs linearly with the yoke assembly relative to theslide block 197 in response to the following action of the roller means199 in the cam track 200. In this latter respect rotational movement ofthe cam means 44 and shaft 124 is effected by suitable drive meansassociated with a main drive gear 202 keyed to the shaft 124, asschematically shown in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. It will be understoodthat drive gear 202 is rotated by a conventional driving source such asan electric drive motor or the like (not shown).

At the outer end of the drive arm 201 is a connector block member 205slidably mounted on a slide rod means 206 formed integrally andextending axially outwardly of one end of the drive arm 201 and heldthereon by lock nut means 207. The rack member 191 is affixed to theblock member 205 so as to move with that block relative to the arm 201.As above-indicated the block 205 is slidable on the rod 206, but inorder to cause the block 205 to move responsively with the rectilinearreciprocation movement of the drive arm 201 and yet permit such block tomove relative to that drive arm in certain instances, a compressionspring means 208 is mounted on a guide rod 209 disposed between theblock 205 and an anchor pad 210 affixed to one side of the drive arm201. By this arrangement thrusting action of the drive arm 201 is anadvancing direction or that is toward the cage means 25, causes acorresponding responsive movement of the block 205 and rack 191therewith; the compression spring 208 being of sufficient size andstrength to hold the block 205 against nut 207 to provide a yieldableconnection between the block member 205 and the arm 201, under normaloperating circumstances. However, in the event a carton or some otherforeign matter should jam cage means 25 or otherwise hold up theactuating linkage for driving actuator arm 144, the presence of thecompression spring means 208 permits the block member 205 to moveresilientlf along the drive arm 201 against the thrusting action of thespring means 208. This prevents breakage of the otherwise fixedmechanical driving connection between the actuator arm 144 and thecentral drive cam means 44.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that as the cam means 44rotates, the drive means 50 responsively actuates periodically toadvance the rack means 191 and withdraw the same in an appositedirection. In response to such reciprocating activity of the rack means191, the actuator arm 144 is accordingly oscillated arcuately toward thebearing block 140 on the cage wall 130 to positively drive the two cagewalls 130 and 133 from their normal open position to the closed positionthereof as illustrated respectively by FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawings.Upon the return or outward movement of the actuator arm 144, the springmeans 176 associated with the 13 linkage system 164 on the cage means,returns the side walls 130 and 133 to their normal open position asillustrated in FIGURE 5. It will be recognized also that since thesuction feeder means 24 and the means for actuating the cage closingactuator or arm 144 operate off the same cam means 44, but in separatetracks disposed on opposite sides thereof, such two systems are inpositive mechanical synchronism to maintain proper timed relationshipthereof. Briefly this synchronized sequence requires the suction feedmeans 24 to advance through the cage means 25, grab a carton blank fromthe stack in the feeder magazine and withdraw the same into the foldingcage means 25.

Thereafter the cage means is actuated in response to the arcuateactivity of the actuator arm 144 first folding the cage side walls toclosed or folding condition to overfold the carton blank, as illustratedin FIGURE 6 of the drawings, after which the cage walls are returned totheir FIGURE or opened position.

Once the blank carton has been overfolded in response to the movement ofthe cage means to its FIGURE 6 position and the latter returned to itsFIGURE 5 position, as above briefly described, a pre-formed carton isthen ready to be fed to the over-disposed mandril means 27 of thefabricating machine. This transfer of the cartons from the folding cagemeans to the mandril is accomplished according to the activities andoperation of the elevator means 42 and the actuator means 43 therefor aswill now be described.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 2, 7, 8, and 10 of the drawings, itwill be understood that the elevator means 42 constitutes asubstantially square planar platform 211 disposed beneath the lower endof the cage means 25; such platform being aifixed to the upper end of avertically reciprocating shaft 212 comprising a member of the elevatoractuator 43. More specifically the elevator platform 211 moves through asquare opening in a base member 213 mounted at right angles on themachines vertical support plate or frame member 192 so as to extendbeneath the lower end of the cage means 25. The platform 211 furthercarries adjacent the forward edge thereof, guide lip means 214 (see FIG.2) which is adapted to pass in front of the forward wall of a cartonpre-formed in the cage means as the elevator platform moves upwardly topush the pre-formed carton onto the mandril of the fabricating machine.In this regard it will be understood that the elevator platform passesthrough the interior of the cage means in close adjacency to the threewall members thereof as it raises a carton onto a mandril.

In order to periodically elevate the elevator means 42 as above brieflydescribed, the actuator means 43 therefor and more specifically theshaft 212 thereof is periodically raised and lowered or recriprocatedalong a vertical axis. Specifically shaft means 212 is supported byspaced mounting bearing blocks or pads 216 and 217 attached to frameplate 192 so as to accommodate the vertical reciprocating activity ofthe shaft 212. Shaft 212 is further equipped with a clamping collar 218,located near the lower bearing block 217, which is adjustably affixed tothe shaft for purposes of adjusting the upper limit of elevation for theplatform 211. The collar 218 in turn is connected to one end of aflexible link chain 220 which is trained upwardly from collar 218 over afirst sprocket idler 221 mounted adjacently beneath the upper mountingblock 216 for the shaft 212. After the chain 220 passes over the idlersprocket 221 it is trained downwardly to pass around another idlersprocket 222 rotatably mounted at the outer end of an arcuately movableor oscillatable arm 223 of the elevator drive means 46. The other end ofthe chain 220 is then trained upwardly and anchored to the frame of theforming machine as indicated at 224 in FIGURES 2 and 10 of the drawings.

With this arrangement the chain means serves to periodically raise andlower shaft 212 in response to the downward and upward movements,respectively of the .on the fabricating machine frame by pivot means227.

Intermediate the ends of the arm 223 and extending toward the centraldrive cam means 44, is a roller means 228 comprising a cam followerwhich rides in and follows the cam track means 127. Thus the arm 223 isrocked periodically about pivot means 227 in response to the followingaction of the roller means in the track 127.

As a result of the above-described arrangement the outer or non-pivotallmounted end of arm 223 oscillates arcuately to correspondingly oscillatethe idler sprocket 222 to actuate the chain means 220. This activitybrings about a periodical elevating and lowering of the elevator means42 for the discharge of cartons from the folding cage means 25 asdesired; the ratio of movements between shaft 212 and the outer end ofthe rocker arm 223 being substantially 2: 1.

Since the drive means 46 for activating the elevator means 42 is drivenoff of the central control cam means 44, as are the suction feed means24 and the cage operating means 50, these three mechanisms aremaintained in a desired operating relationship and timed sequence; theraising of the elevator means 42 to discharge a carton from cage means25 occurring after the latter means has operated and pre-formed a cartonas above described.

Having thus described the various elements, means, and mechanisms whichare combined in the present invention, the operation thereof to open,preform and feed a carton blank to the forming machine will now bedescribed with specific reference being made at this time to FIG- URES11 through 17 of the drawings:

As schematically shown in FIGURE 11 of the drawings, the cage means 25at the start of an operating cycle is positioned in its normalcondition, with the side walls 134) and 133 thereof parallel and atright angles to its rear wall 131 ready to receive a carton blank 21afrom the leading end of the feeder means 22. The suction feeder means24, thereafter advances through the cage means 25, and grips andwithdraws the leading carton blank 21a from the feeder means 22 asdiagramed in FIGURE 12 of the drawings. As also shown in the FIG- URE12, after initial engagement of the blank carton and more specifically,one of the side panels 230 thereof (see FIGURE 14) feeder means 24 isreversed and moves toward the cage means drawing the carton blank acrossthe abutment members 91, causing the carton to partially open into adiamond shape cross-sectional configuration as illustrated in FIGURE 12.Also as the carton is drawn toward the open front of the cage means 25,the small abutment button 93 (see FIGURES 5, 9, and 14) on the bottomwall portion 53 of the feeder means engages a flap portion 231 which isformed at the lowermost end of a second rectangular carton panel 232.Flap portion 231 drags over the button 93 and serves to further open thecarton blank to a substantially rectangular formation. The carton isthus conditioned to be guided by the guide means and into the interiorof the open cage means 25 as the suction feeder means retracts throughthe openings 136-138 in the cage rear Wall 131 (see FIG. 13). This issubstantially the condition and arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 5 ofthe drawings Whereat an opened blank carton 21b, inserted into the cagemeans 25, is indicated in dotted lines.

To assist in a better understanding of the above-described operations,reference is now made to FIGURES 14 and 15 of the drawings showing thelayout of the typical rectangular milk carton blank designated at 21a insuch figures. As will be understood from FIGURES 14 and 15 the cartonblank, as previously mentioned, originally resides in a substantiallyplanar condition in the magazine 22 with the one front wall panel 230,thereof lying in parallel contacting opposition to a side wall panel 236thereof. Similarly rear wall panel 232, opposingly contacts the secondside wall panel 237 thereof; wall 236 lying coplanar with wall 237 andwall 232 coplanar with side wall 236 (see FIG. 15). It will beunderstood that the various wall panels 230, 232, 236 and 237 aredefined between parallel fold lines which eventually comprise the fourcorners of the opened carton 216 as shown in FIG- URE 16 of thedrawings.

Once the carton blank is partially opened and inserted into the cagemeans 25 as above-described (see FIG. the actuator arm I43 and roller 144 move to swing the one cage side wall 130 about its hinge 132 towardthe rear wall 131 thereof, while by operation of the linkage system 164,the opposite side wall 133 of the cage means similarly swings about itshinge 134 away from the rear wall of the cage. As a consequence the openconfiguration of the cage means is altered into an overfolded nearlyflat condition as illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings. That is tosay, the several panels of the carton blank move about the corner foldlines thereof in such a manner as to pivot the side wall panel 237thereof into close proximity with the front wall panel 236- while therear wall panel 232 similarly approaches the side wall panel 236. Afterthis overfolding operation, the cage side walls are returned to theirFIGURE 5 position of right angular relationship with the cage rear wall,causing the carton walls to follow and assume a similar configuration.It will be noted that from the original fiat condition of the cartonblank, the opening and overfolding operation performed thereon causesthe various wall or panel portions of the carton to effectively movethrough nearly a straight angle or that is between 90 and 180 relativeto one another. This overfolding operation in particular serves tosufficiently define the four corner folds of the formed carton, so thatwhen the same is released from cage means 25, the wall portions thereofremain substantially at right angles to one another, instead of assuminga somewhat diamond shape cross-sectional configuration according toprevious practice as illustrated in FIGURE 17 of the drawings.

After the above described overfolding operation is completed it will beunderstood that the several wall panels of .the carton blank aredisposed in right angular relationship and held in such relationshipbythe three rigid walls of the folding cage. In this connection the fingermeans 146 and 156 of the respective guide means 145 and S serve :toprevent the opened carton from moving out through the open front of thecage means by engaging marginal portions of the panel 232 thereof asoriented in FIGURES .5 and 13 of the drawings. In this regard it will beappreciated that as the cage means commences to return from itsoverfolding position of FIGURE 6 to its normal open position as shown inFIGURE 5, the finger portions 146 and 156 of the guide means move inbehind the corner folds between the rear panel 232 of the carton blank21b and the side panels 236 and 237 thereof to hold the carton walls inrelatively close fitting conformity with the interior of the cage meansuntil eventually the latter returns to its static open position,illustrated in FIGURE 5. At that stage the now pre-formed carton isready for application to an over-disposed mandril 27.

As described heretofore, after completion of the overfolding operationof the cage means, the elevator means 42 is automatically elevated toengage the bottom end of the pre-formed carton within the cage means,thrusting the same upwardly onto and over the four walls of the mandril27 indexed over the cage means by the index means 28 of the formingmachine. This elevating movement of the pre-formed carton is regulatedby the upward vertical movement of the elevator platform 211 and isSUfilClfllI. so that when the carton is mounted on the mandril it clearsthe upper regions of the cage means. It is also to be noted that theupward thrusting movement of the pre-formed carton onto the mandril 27is sutficient to engage the upper end of the carton with the adjustablestop means 33 comprising a band member extending around the outside ofthe mandril, as illustrated particularly in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. Incertain instances the stop means 33 may also comprise resilient gripperfinger members (not illustrated) for catching or gripping the upper endof the carton to assist in maintaining the carton on the mandril duringthe subsequent folding, forming and sealing operations to be performedby the fabricating machine.

After loading of the pro-formed carton on a mandril as above outlined,the elevator means then returns to its battery or retracted position andthe opening and pre-forming operation of the cage means is againinitiated according to the automatic cycling of the central control cammeans 44 and the attendant operations of the forming machine 20.

From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in this art willreadily recognize and appreciate the advancements and improvementsexhibited by the present invention and will also readily understand thatwhile the present invention has been described in conjunction with theopening and pre-forming of milk cartons, the same is obviously adaptedfor similar functions with other classes of containers without departingfrom the spirit and scope of this invention. Additionally while thepresent invention has been described herein as it appears with aparticular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is tobe understood that such embodiment is obviously susceptible to change,modification and substitution of equivalents without departing from thescope of this invention. As a consequence the present contribution tothe art is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing description andillustrated embodiment except as may appear in the following appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. For use with a container fabricating machine adapted Ito formenclosed oarton containers from tubes having pllanar wall panels thereofrelated at right angles to one anoither, improved means for forming s'aid ltufbes from substantially planar car-ton blanks, having like wallpanels defined by parallel spaced fol'd lines, comprising: open endedcage means having one open side and two opposed walls movable aboutparallel spaced axes toward and away from a third wa-ll thereof, feedermeans movable through said cage means for automatically insenting acanton blank through said open side thereof and into said cage me'ans,means for periodically moving said .two walls in unison !to open saidblank and fold the panels thereof about said fold lines and thereby formthe same into a three dimensional tube in which the panels lthereof arerelated at right angles to one another, and means for discharging afolded said tube from said cage trneans.

2. For use with a fabricating machine adapted lto form enclosed cantoncontainers from tubes hav'ing wall panels disposed at righ't angles toone another, improved means for forming said tubes from substantiallyplanar carton blank s having planar panel portions marginally defined bypanallel spaced fo ld lines comprising: ithree sided cage means havingtwo sides thereof defined by opposed wall members mounted for pivotalmovement about parallel spaced axes toward and away from an interveningthird wall member thereof, feeder means reciprocally movable throughsaid oage means for automatically inserting a carton blank itherein'toland for effecting 'pantial opening of said blank, means forperiodically moving #s'aid two Wall members to fold the panels of acarton blank about said fold lines and lto fully open and form the sameinto a three dimensional tube having the panels lthereof stabilized taltnighlt angles tto one another, and means for discharging a said tubefrom said cage means comprising an elevator means reciprocally movablelengthwise 1 7 through staid cage means and including 'actuaitor meanstherefor, operable periodically to raise and lower the same.

3. For use with a container 'fiabnic'alting machine, the combinationcomprising: open ended folding cage means adapted to accept pant-iallyopen :tubular container blanks within its interior via one open sidethereof !and including a pair of pivota-lly movable wall members mountedfor movement about parallel spaced |aXes relative to a third w allmember thereof, feeder magazine means adapted to store a plurality ofsubstantially planar collapsed conflainer blanks and .to successively radviance rthe same to a stop position opposite the open side of said cagemeans, means operalbly movable through the interior of said cage meansfor periodically transferring collapsed Icontlainer blanks,successively, from said stop position into the interior of said cagemeans and for depositing the same thereat; means for effecting partialopening of said collapsed blanks as they are being Itnansferred intosaid cage means, and means for periodiclally actuating staid pivo'ta-llymovable wall members of said Icage means so as to fold all side walls ofsaid container blank about parallel fold lines thereby to complete theopening of said blank and form the same into a stable open ended tubehaving transversely related side walls.

4. In a container fabricating machine land the like, the combinationcomprising: folding \cage means adapted to receive partially opencontainer blanks comprising io ur Wall panels marginally defined betweenparallel cfold lines, means for periodically imovin-g t-wo opposed wallsof said ca'ge means labouJt parallel spaced axes .to effect foldingmovement of the wall panels of a container blank mounted therein aboutsaid fol d lines and to thereafter positively position and hold saidwall panels at right angles to one another, and means mowable throughsaid cage means for periodically elevating a carton blank folded by saidcage means from the latter onto [an over-disposed mandril means of thefabricating machine while positively holding said panels lat rightangles to one another.

5. Means 'for opening and forming three dimensional, open end-ed tubesfro-m canton blanks each having four like wall panels marginally definedbetween parallel fold line's comprising: cage means having only threewall members enclosing three sides thereof and adapted to receive cantonblanks through an open cfiounth side thereof, means pivotal-1y mount-ingtwo of said wall members for varcuate movement about parallel spacedaxes relative to the third wall member; means for periodically so movingsaid two wiall members, and means fior positively holding a cant-onblank within said cage means so as to fold and position the said fourpanels thereof labonit said told line's responsively with the movementsand positioning of said two Wall members.

6. Means for iorrning a three dimensional, open ended tube from a planarcarton blt'ank having four similar planar wall panels defined betweenpar allel spaiced fold lines comprising: cage means having three planarwall members enclosing three sides thereof and adapted to receivecia-rton blanks through the open foirr'th side thereof, means pivotallymounting two opposing said wall memhere for la-rou a te movement aboutparallel spaced axe's relative to said third wall member; means forperiodically so moving said two wall members in unison and for arrestingthe same at a predetermined limit, and means for positively holding acanton blank within said cage means so as to move and position the fourpanels thereof about said fold lines according to the movements andpositioning of said wall members.

7. The combination of claim- 6, and adjustable means providing anadjustable limit to the movement of said two wall members in onedirection and for regulating the angular disposition of s'aid two wallmembers relative to said third wall member when at said limit.

8. A combination of elements for opening and forming three dimensionaltubes from planar car-ton blanks,

each comprising four integral planar wall panels having lateral marginsthereof defined by and between parallel spaced fold lines comprising:magazine means for storing a plurality of carton blanks, means forsuccessively feeding said blanks to one end of said magazine, threedimensional open ended folding cage means, enclosed on three sides bythree planar Wall members, and having the fourth side thereof open;means mounting said cage means opposite said one end of said magazinefor receiving carton blanks therefrom, feeder means movable through onewall member and the open fourth side of said cage means and operable toautomatically transfer a carton blank directly from said one end of saidmagazine means to the interior of said cage means via said open fourthside thereof, means positively holding and positioning a transferredcarton blank in said cage means so that three of said wall panelsthereof are registeringly opposed by the said three wall members of saidcage means, means for moving two of said wall members to fold each wallpanel of said carton blank substantially through about the fold lines atits margins, and means periodically movable lengthwise of said cagemeans for automatically discharging folded cartons axially from saidcage means and through one open end thereof.

9. A combination of elements for forming a three dimensional tube from aplanar carton blank having four integral planar wall panels defined attheir lateral margins by parallel spaced fold lines comprising: magazinemeans for storing a plurality of carton blanks, means for automaticallyfeeding said blanks, successively, to one end of said magazine means;open ended folding cage means enclosed on three sides by planar wallmembers and having the fourth side thereof open, means mounting saidcage means with the open side thereof opposite one end of said magazinefor receiving carton blanks therefrom, feeder means movable through saidcage means and said open side thereof to automatically transfer a cartonblank at said one end of said magazine means through said open side tothe interior of said cage means and deposit the same therewithin, meanspositively holding and positioning a carton blank in said cage means sothat three of said wall panels thereof are substantially coextensivelyopposed by the said three wall members of said cage means, means forperiodically moving two of said wall members to fold each wall panel ofsaid carton blank substantially 180 about the fold lines at its margins,means statically positioning said two wall members at right angles tosaid third wall member thereby to correspondingly position the wallpanels of said carton blank therein, and means automatically dischargingfolded carton blanks through one end of said cage means in a directiontransverse to the direction of transferring carton blanks thereinto.

10. The combination of claim 9, and means interferringly engaging onepanel of each carton blank as the same is being transferred from saidmagazine means to said cage means by said feeder means whereby to effectpartial opening of said carton blank from its planar condition bypositively separating the wall panels thereof prior to its entry intosaid cage means.

11. The combination of claim 9 wherein said feeder means comprisessuction cup means communicating with air evacuator means, drive meansfor periodically advancing said cup means through said cage means andinto proximity with the leading carton blank at said one end of saidmagazine means whereby said leading carton blank is pneumaticallygripped by said cup means; said drive means automatically retractingsaid cup means through said cage means whereby said carton blank engagedthereby is pulled into said cage means through the said open fourth sidethereof and deposited therewithin.

12. In a container fabricating machine adapted to fabricate fluid-tightcontainers from substantially planar container blanks and having apre-forming station, the combination comprising: magazine means forstoring a plurality of container blanks including means for advancingsaid blanks opposite the pre-forming station, overfolding cage meansmounted at said pre-forming station and having movable walls operable tofold a carton blank about previously scored fold lines thereon so as toform said blank into a statically stable open ended tubular memberhaving right angularly related wall panels, means movable through saidcage means for transferring carton blanks, one at a time, from saidmagazine means into said cage means; cooperating means adjacent saidcage means engageable with said blanks for eflecting partial openingthereof as the same are transferred into said cage means, means forperiodically moving said walls of said cage means to form a carton blanktherein into a tubular member as aforesaid, mandril means adapted to beindexed registeringly opposite one end of said cage means, means forpositively aligning a tubular member formed in said cage means coaxiallywith said mandril means, and periodically operable means adjacent theother end of said cage means and movable through said cage means formounting a said tubular member therewithin onto said mandril means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,064,543 11/1962 Peters 93-533,091,995 6/1963 Allison 9353 3,269,798 8/1966 Vadas 9353 BERNARDSTICKNEY, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO.3,368,462 February 13, 1968 Raymond W. Guzzardo It is hereby certifiedthat error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction andthat the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 30, for "prpearatory" read preparatory column 7, line 57,for "and" read and bottom line 60, for "to" read of column 8, line 9,for "into" read into a column 12, line 59, for "resilientlf" read Hresiliently column 14, line 4, for "e46" read 46 column 20, line 14, for"3,269,798" read 3,269,279 Signed and sealed this 15th day of April1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer

